Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 59, Issue 1 205-210, Copyright © 1985 by American Physiological Society
Serial determination of lung volume in small animals by nitrogen washout
T. A. Standaert, W. A. LaFramboise, R. E. Tuck and D. E. Woodrum
This report describes the design of an apparatus and the procedures used to
serially measure the total lung capacity and the functional residual
capacity of small animals utilizing the N2-washout technique. The
calibration data indicate that the technique is accurate to within 1 ml and
has a variance of less than 5%. The in vivo lung volume measurements of
rats were validated by comparing them with values obtained with a
water-displacement technique; the means were within 0.3 ml. Examples of the
precision and changes in lung volume of animals during studies are included
to demonstrate the reliability and usefulness of the technique.
